Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-02
WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 9, 1887.
A Government Telegraph.

Congressman HERBERT, of Alabama,
has been interviewed in Washington on
the subject of Government postal tele-
grsph. He argues as follows:
IL am not in favor of it. In the first
place, am opposed to increasing the
power OF the Government. know that
on first thought the people will say
Give us postal telegraph, but after
the subject has been discussed in Con-
gress, and l believe il will come up in
the House this winter, and the coun-
try is made aware of the i'm
mense power it will give the party
in control, j don't believe the
people will be in hurry to adopt the
scheme. We had better put up while
longer with the present evil and endea-
vor to find remedy than to adopt a
measure that may in the end prove a
greater monopoly. There would be no
competition. Jay Gould could notcom-
pete with the Government. and he would
be forced to sell out at a reasonable
price. If we established a postal tele-
graph, it would create $4,000 more
ofiice-holders, and, in less than two
years the number would be double. Just
imagine what force that would give
the party in power "
A congressman who is statesman
should be better informed than Mr.. HER
cert appears to be. The official returns
Of the census Of 1880 set down the num-
Der OF clerks in Government offices Mt
16,Si9, and the number of Government
officials at 57,0S1, including in both cases
national, State, city, and town govern
ment., but excluding, of course, officers
and men of the army and navy. We
take it for granted, therefore, that there
are not over 10000 postmasters and
postal employees in the United States.
If Government telegraph should re-
quire as many employees there would be
added to the number of Government en- /
ployees 10000. But the fact would be .
that at nine offices out of ten the |
postal agent and the telegraph-operator
would be the same man. The
consequence of this would be that
at nearly every post.Office in the land
the public would receive more attention
and a better service than now. But
make the most extravagant estimate,
and the $4,000 Government postal en-
ployees could not rise Above 100, 600, or
say 1900 in Virginia. There are at least
1900 postal employees now in Virginia
How much influence do they exert
How much space do they occupy in the
public eye? What Democrat, or rather
what Republican, fears their influence
Are they a menace TO our free institu-
tions?
Mr.. HERBERT fights against Fate-an
unvise thing TO do. He is SYDNEY
SMITHS Mrs PARTINGTON endeavoring
to sweep back the waves of the Atlantic.
Tho people are going to add the tele-
graph to the postal service. They in
tend to have, and they will have, mes
sages sent from every Office in the
United States to every Office in the
United States at the uniform price of
one cent a word. The telegraph Of
fees in the rural districts are
now not used one hour in TWEEN
ty.four for the benefit of the
general public. They are capable of
being educators of the people, and
they are destined soon to perform that 1
service also. Look at our postal system.
A letter is sent from Boston to Sacra- {
mento for two cents. Look at our street
car lines. A five-mile ride for five cents.
Who pays for the ride and for sending i
the letter? Never mind. cit pays"
somebody or it wouldn't be done. And
the same will be the case with the Gov
eminent telegraph. 1t will send messages
from the Atlantic to the Pacific for
cent word and yet it will "pay." Ali
the people will patronize it. And the
man who is now opposing It's establish.
ment will then be deridei as an cold
foey," aud as not one whit more en-
titled TO be called a statesman than the
man who would transfer the Post-Offi
Department to private persons.